TYPHOON MAN-YI (BEBENG) SLOWS DOWN AND DOWNGRADED TO CATE-GORY TWO...MOVING CLOSER TO WESTERN HONSHU.

+ FORECAST OUTLOOK: MAN-YI is expected to make landfall over SW Kyushu this afternoon around 4 PM Japan Time, passing very close to Kagoshima, Japan. The 1 to 2-day medium-range forecast (Jul 15 to 16) shows the system traversing the beachfront-coastal areas of Shikoku and Honshu early tomorrow morning until the whole day of Sunday (Jul 15). MAN-YI is forecast to pass very close to the south of Metropolitan Tokyo as a downgraded tropical storm or Extratropical Cycloneby Sunday evening (approx 9 PM Japan Time, Jul 15). MAN-YI shall exit Eastern Honshu during the early hours of July 16.

+ EFFECTS: MAN-YI's over-all circulation has shrunked consi-derably as it near Western Japan, with its outer bands sprea-ding across Okinawa-Ryukyus, Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu. The inner bands is expected to arrive over Western Kyushu this morning. Typhoon-force winds w/ moderate to heavy rains is expected over the main Japanese islands of Kyushu and Shiko-ku today until tomorrow as the core (eye + eyewall) of MAN-YI starts to make landfall. Coastal Storm Surge flooding of 5 to 10 feet above normal tide levels...along with large and dangerous battering waves can be expected near and to the north of MAN-YI's projected path or over Western Kyushu today. Flash floods and mudslides are imminent along river banks, low-lying and mountainous areas of the affected areas. Extra-precautions must be implemented NOW as the dangerous typhoon passes by.

+ CURRENT MONSOON INTENSITY: Southwest (SW) Monsoon has started to retreat and weaken as MAN-YI loses strength. Cloudy skies with possible intermittent passing rains or thunderstorms can still be expected across the western sections of Luzon, Southern Luzon and Visayas w/ SW'ly winds of 30 km/hr or higher, becoming more frequent along the Western sections of Palawan, Southern & Western Panay, Western Negros, Boracay, Bataan, Zambales, Batangas, and Western Mindoro. Mudslides and flooding is likely along river banks, low-lying & flood-prone areas of the affected areas. Stay tuned for more Monsoon updates on the next advisory.

+ TROPICAL CYCLONE WATCH: N/A.

Important Note:Please keep in mind that the above forecast outlook, effects & current monsoon intensity, and tropical cyclone watch changes every 06 to 12 hours!_______________________________________________________________________

BEGINNING TO TRACK TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE MIDLATITUDE WESTERLIES...(more)>> MAN-YI{pronounced: mun~yi}, meaning: Name of a strait ori- ginally. With the construction of a dam, that part of the sea has become a reservoir. Name contributed by: Hong Kong.

* - Based on PAGASA's Philippine Storm Warning Signals, # 4 being the highest. Red letters indicate new areas being hoisted. For more explanations on these signals, visit: http://www.typhoon2000.ph/signals.htm

** - Based on the Tropical Cyclone's Wave Height near its center.__________________________________________________________________________________________>> To know the meteorological terminologies and acronyms used on this update visit the ff: